April 2, 1868. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



293 



in bloom, being superior to Viola comuta in this respect ; bat is inferior 

 to the Lobelia spcciosa, and not nonrly so otfective in colour. 



MvogoTi^i AzoRiOA (Idem), — Plant.s ffoin seed sown now will not flower 

 until autumn, and even Iben vltv spiiringly if at all ; but they will by 

 that time bo K^od plants fur pl:inting out, and will in;ike a fiuc display 

 enrly tbo following summer. Tliis Myosotis is not suitable for huiiiui'T 

 bedding. We bavo it for flowering oiu-ly in summer or late in spring, and 

 it is very lino in May, but it will not euduro sun or drought. 



Old Cuebry Trees Deuavino iJ. /)., Ireland).— Yoiu- proposed cover- 

 ing of the excrescences on tho branches and stem with clay will not 

 prevent further decay of tho trees. It would do quite as much Imnn 

 as good. The application of a good dressing of manure would be of f^rcater 

 service to the trees by invigorating the roots, thananythingapplicd to the 

 branches. The evil is in the roots, and your best course will be to re- 

 move the trees when they cease to bo productive. 



Stopping Vine Laterals (A Sv-bucriher). — We would not stop the 

 laterals as soon as they appear, but allow those at the base to grow uutil 

 they had made six leaves, then take out their points. We would thus 

 treat all laterals that came on tho fltom or cane up to 3 feet ; all laterals 

 in tho next foot of height wo would allow to arovf until they had made 

 five loaves and then stop them. From 4 feet up to 5 feet we would stop 

 at the fourth leaf; between 5 feet and G feet at the third leaf; aud be- 

 tween 6 feet and 7 feet at the second leaf. All over 7 feet wo should 

 keep closely pinched, in the first instance at the first leaf, and stop all 

 sub-laterals at the tirst joint, and this repeatedly as they were produced. 

 We thus have as good eyes aud as strong wood at the base as at the upper 

 end of the cane. 



Cutting Grass (F. J.).— "By cutting tho grass well into the bottom we 

 intended it to bo understood that grass at the tirst cutting should be cut 

 yevy close to the ground. 



Shading a Greenhousk frjcm).— For flowering plants shade, but for 

 gromng piautsi shading will not be required except when they are fresh 

 potted, or are plants requiring shade— such as Ferns and Orchids. We 

 do not recommend you to colour the glass so as to render it opaque, 

 and we would advise a shade of tiffany. It will be required quite as 

 much for the rnof as the front of tho house, and would be best outside, 

 attached to a roller, and run up and down as I'equired, The plants cannot 

 be kept too near the glass if they do not touch it. 



Propagating Polyanthus, Primroses, and Daisies {Idem).— The best 

 time to propagate these plants is when the bloom is over. Plant the 

 divisions on an east border or other situation shaded from tho midday 

 sun. They should be shaded and well watered until established. 



Treatment of Peeilla, Aster, Stock, and Phlox Seedlings lldnii). 

 —They may be kept in the greenhouse, after they are pricked oflT, until 

 bedding-out time, but they should be well hardencd-off by affording them 

 an abundance of air, and would be all the better of fall exposui'c in May, 

 placing thorn in a sheltered situation, and nffitnling protection from frost 

 should it occur. If tl»e plants are not further frum the f^lass tban 12 inches, 

 they will do well, and if but inches they could not be better placed. 

 Indeed, they cannot be placed too near the glass. 



Treatment op Bulbs after Flowering (H. B.).—lf the Hyacinths 

 and Tulips have been forced early there is no mode of treatment by which 

 they can be made to flower well after the first year ; but if. merely brought 

 on in a gentle hoat they will flower well for years in tbe open gi'ound, 

 but are not equal to imported bulbs. When the flowering is past the 

 bulbs should not be placed under the stage, or be planted in the open 

 ground, but ouRht to have a light airy situation near the glass in a cool 

 house or cold frame, giving tlaeui copious supphes of water until tho 

 foliage ceases growth, when watering should be discontinued gradually, 

 and entirely left off by tho time the foliage turns yellow. When tho 

 leaves are completely yellow the plants should be turned out of the pots, 

 and if their roots are all gone shake away the soil, and place the bulbs on 

 shelves in a cool airy shed to dry. When thoroughly dried remove tho old 

 roots, dead flower stems, and leaves, which, being mature, will part freely 

 from the bulbs. Having removed the offsets from the bulbs, place them 

 in layers in a box in dry silver sand, and keep them iu a cool dry place until 

 October, when they may be planted in the hed^ or borders of the garden. 

 The Hyacinths should bo planted with the crown of the bulbs from H to 

 2 inches below the surface, and the Tulips about an inch. A well-drained 

 light rich soil is most suitable, but any well-drained and not very adhesive 

 soil will grow them well. In November or early in December befwre 

 severe weather, give a mulching of about 1 inch of half-rotten leaves, and 

 this is all the attention our bulbs receive, and we always have a fine 

 bloom in spring or early in summer. When the foliage decays we take 

 np the bulbs, remove the offsets, and replant at once, after giving tbe 

 ground a dressing 1 or 2 inches thick of equal parts of rotten cowdnng 

 and leaf mould. This should be well mixed with the soil, which is 

 trenched to a depth of not less than 15 inches, but the deeper the better. 

 We do not take the bulbs up oftener than every second year, and then we 

 are obliged to do so on account of the offsets. Our soil is light loam 

 resting on gravel. It is never wet. There is no necessity to take the 

 bolbs up and di-y tbem, as the summer plants can bo planted between tho 

 lines of bulbs. In heavy soils, however, wo would take the bulbs up 

 annually, aud store them as already described, replanting in autumn 



when the summer plants are cleared off, and after the ground has been 

 well prepared for tho reception of the bulbs, without which it i.s needless 

 to plant them. As to the olli>etn, wo plant them in beds in lines G inches 

 apart, and 3 inches apart in tho lino, drawing a shallow drill, and putting 

 thum in in the same manner as Shallots, then covering with about an 

 inch of fine soil. Wo do not keep the offsets an hour longer out of t^^o 

 ground than can bo helped. A mulching of half-rotten leaves is spread 

 over tho offset beds in autumn before severe weather sets in, and the 

 ground between the lines is lightly stirred in spring. After two Reasons' 

 growth we have line flowering bulbs fur xihm'ing in beds aud borders. 

 Wo have often had Hyacinth bulbs home-grown weighing 4 and G ozs., 

 and a few even 8 ozs. weight. 



Propagating Pansies (F/f)ra).~Wo would advise your procuring a few 

 good plants of the kinds you require, and at once plantinR them out 

 1 foot apart. Layer tbe shoots by pcf^'gicg them down, and by these 

 means you will obtain strong plajits, especially if your soil is light aud 

 you place fresh cow dung around tbe base of oacli plant. You will have 

 numerous cuttings by July, during which month you may take off all the 

 points of the growinc shoots, and especially those coming from the collar 

 of the plant. Three inches will be sufficiently long. The cuttings should 

 be cut below a joint, and the leaves removed from all but the upper third 

 of the cuttings. They shmld be inserted in a compost of equal parts 

 of loam, loaf mould, and silver or sharp sand. A rathor shady situation 

 should be chosen, and the cuttinas, after insertion 11 inch apart every 

 way, may have a good watering, and should be covered with a hand-glass 

 or frame, the lights being kept close and shaded from bright sun. No 

 pains should he spared in attejiding to watering and shading, for if these 

 be neglected, and tlie cuttings flag, their rooting will be retarded, if they 

 do not fail altogether. A little air may be given in the early part of the 

 day to dry up any accumulation of damp, and when the cuttings become 

 rooted air should by degrees bo freely admitted ; when well rooted they 

 may be fully exposed. 



Peeilla nankinensis for a Low Edging (Idem).— The best way to 

 form a neat edging of Perilla is to plant a double lino of it for a 2-feet 

 edging, placing the plants 1 foot apart every way, and pegging them 

 down after they have become well e.stablished. For pegging the shoots 

 down we employ bamboo, cut into 4-inoh lengths, avoiding the joints. 

 We split tbe lengths into small pieces about the thickness of match 

 wood, and throw them into water to soak, which makes them very pliable. 

 We peg down the shoots with these bent between the finger and thumb, 

 aud thrust into the ground. When bent they look lOte hair pins, and are 

 the cheapest and best pegs wo ever saw or used. We continue the pegg- 

 ing until the plants meet, and we then pinch back the small shoots, and 

 all shoots are kept pinched to one joint, or two at the most. Tbe first 

 stopping takes place when tho shoots are about 6 inches long and after 

 pegging is discontinued. If you require an edging of 1-foot width one row 

 of plants will be sufficient, putting the plants in from 9 inches to, a foot 

 apart. 



Saponaeia calabrica {Idem).— This splendid annual malces a charm- 

 ing bed. line, or edging if sown now. It should be sown where it is to re- 

 main ; trausplan.tiug it is not desirable. 



Raspberries and Asparagus in a Damp Situation (S. S.). — Rasp- 

 berries thrive best in well-drained and moderately light soil ; but your 

 Boil and situation will suit both if water does not lodge in the subsoil. If 

 the soil is not light and well stirred to a depth of 2 feet it iftust be made 

 so for the gi-owth of Asparagus. ' 



Turning out Bedding Plants into Frambs (J. B.).~ Yon will be 

 doing well to turn yom- plants out of the pots, having previously pat 

 6 inches of good turfy loam and leaf mould in the frame, and in &is 

 plant without disturbing the ball. The plants will make a better growth, 

 and may by careful removal experience no greater check upon trans- 

 planting than if they were planted out from the pots ; in fact, the plants 

 will gi'ow better and cover the beds much sooner. The plan is not new, 

 having been several times recommended in the Journal. Expose the 

 plants fully, and have them thoroucbly hardened-off prior to planting 

 out. The plants could not have a better position than one fully exposed 

 to the sun. 



Names op Plants {J. G.).— Asplenium eburneum. (Jfary).— Selaginella 

 Martenaii; Hepatica triloba. (F«i^(a^).— l. Lonicera angustifolia; 2,Pit- 

 tosporum glabratum. (/i. A>mp'.— 4, Primula farinosa, var. ; 2, Probably 

 Pulmonaria officinalis. {A. Writiht).—li is impossible to name seedling' 

 Pines before they are more advanced without more definite information. 

 We can find nothing resombUnp the specimen sent from North America. 

 iS.). — 1, Adiantum tenerum ; 2, also A. tenerum ; 3, Pteris serrnlata j 



4, Pteris crenulata ; 5, Pellaea rotundifolia ; 6, Polypodinm subauricola- 

 tum ; 7, Adiantum curvatum ; 8, Adiantum (Darea) Bcllanserii. (M. A,), 

 1, (?) : 2. Anchusa officinalis ; 3, Erica vagans. (C P.)-— Garden Hyacinth 

 and Erica vagans. (W. F. i2.}.— Iberia saxatilis. {Uhs C.).— Garden 

 Anemone. (A. B.). — 1, Gaultheria odorata ; 2, Ajuga reptans, garden 

 variety ; 3, Tetranthera pilosa ; 4, Diosma, but which we cannot tell with- 

 out flowers. (W.G.). — 1, Edwardsia microphylla ; 2, Pitto.sporum tenni- 

 folium. ( C. F.),—\, Asphodelus ramosus ; 2, Eranthemum crenulatum^ 

 variety ; 3, Prunus (Cerasus) Caproniana ; 4, Eranthemum leuconeoron; 



5, Bryophyllum calycinnm. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the week ending March 31st. 



